Montana heat wave: Billings and Miles City set all-time high-temperature records

 

Headline:  Lite FM 95.5, 7/12/2026

Traci Taylor reports:

Billings and Miles City each set new all-time record highs Sunday as a historic heat wave swept the region. Billings reached 111 degrees, breaking the city's previous all-time record of 108 degrees set in 2002, according to the National Weather Service's daily climate report. Miles City climbed even higher, hitting a preliminary 115 degrees and shattering its old record of 111 degrees, set on June 26, 2012. 

On Sunday, the National Weather Service had issued an Extreme Heat Watch for much of central, south-central, and southeastern Montana, along with north-central Wyoming, warning that dangerously hot conditions and potential record highs were likely across the region through the night. 

How Billings Residents Coped with Extreme Heat\ 

Spray grounds around Billings filled up quickly as families sought relief from the heat. Lake Elmo became one of the busiest spots in the city, with people heading for the water any way they could. Grocery stores and coffee shops saw a steady stream of people ducking in for air conditioning. Even short errands became a challenge in the heat, with parking lots and sidewalks radiating extra warmth under the afternoon sun.

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